No Justice No Pride protesters in action on Saturday (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

A group of No Justice No Pride protestors appeared at the Capital Pride parade in Washington Saturday in both a march of their own and a stand-off/blockade that resulted in the Capital Pride parade being re-routed and significantly delayed.

About 3:30 p.m., a couple hundred No Justice No Pride protestors were accompanied by pop hits by Beyonce, Lady Gaga, et. al. blasting from a loudspeaker as the marchers chanted anti-corporate slogans.

Later, another group of No Justice No Pride activists joined hands with a chain-like material on P Street between 15th and 16th streets, N.W., in the planned route of the Pride parade. Ten protestors were in the chain with several other activists surrounding them. On one end, a woman chained herself to a fence; on the other end of the chain, another activist chained herself to a parked vehicle. They chanted slogans and clashed vehemently with several bystanders. Police set up a boxed perimeter and informed members of the press and others to remain outside. Interactions came close to fisticuffs a few times but as far as the Blade reporters could tell, no violence ensued.

Protestors had several concerns, which they distributed on pink sheets and read from. Among them, they demanded that Capital Pride:

• honor the legacy that trans women of color played in the history of Pride by adding more transgender women of color in leadership positions
• more stringently vet which corporations serve as sponsors of Capital Pride
• prevent uniformed police officers, including the LGBT Liaison Unit of D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and military personnel from participating in the parade

See the attached photos for a full list of their demands, which are also available at nojusticenopride.org.

Capital Pride Executive Director Ryan Bos and Treasurer Ashley Smith consulted with police on the best way to proceed. The parade was re-routed and delayed by about 90 minutes.

Following a few more minutes of chanting and listing demands, the activists went down the street to conclude their protest with a rally. No arrests were made.

“We deserve to celebrate Pride without being forced alongside the Police who kill us,” said Angela Peoples, one of the participants, in a No Justice No Pride statement. “Pride should be a haven for the entire LGBTQ community. The Capital Pride Board has shown who it’s prioritizing. No Justice No Pride is for everyone who has previously been excluded and for a different vision of what this event could and should be.”

The Blade will have more later on this unfolding story.

No Justice No Pride’s list of demands of Capital Pride (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Hundreds marched in a No Justice No Pride march that took place before the Capital Pride Parade (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

I could almost accept and even agree with their premise: that pride has become overly corporate and almost too big for itself. HOWEVER, their methods, are totally out of control. Their argument that Capital Pride is somehow responsible for, or sanctioning, police violence and racism, is flawed from the start. Pride wouldn’t happen with out the financial support of businesses and the cooperation of the police. I’m sorry there is still racism and issues with police–I don’t support these problems–but to expect that organizers of Pride can personally stop these things, is madness. And the idea that, until those problems are solved, that we can’t have a pride celebration for the accomplishments we have made, is ridiculous! What these selfish and short-sighted people decided to do was to ruin a celebration for thousands of people by aggressively forcing their agenda by disrupting a peaceful celebration. These demands are largely unreasonable. And those that are reasonable, are never going to be accepted by the people you just made enemies of.

Cooperation of the police and INVOLVEMENT of the police are two different things. They arent saying that the police shouldnt be there doing their job… they are saying that the police departments shouldnt be included in the march, which a small group of gay police are.

No, that is wrong. Not all police officers are bad, and there are a lot of gay police officers who have done their jobs admirably, so we are supposed to punish them because of their occupation? I understand that a lot of people have been mistreated by police but they are going to have to learn that not all police are going to do that. I refuse to accept that we must tell police officers that they cannot be involved in our festivities, especially those who are doing their jobs with distinction and Valor. I am not about to support making police our enemies.

I made no such exclusionary statement, I am under no impression that all cops are good but they’re not all bad either. My point is that you should judge them on the basis of their record and character not on their occupation.

i will not foster the idea that we need to start with a premise that there are as many bad cops as good….which is really what it sounds like you are saying. I believe i live in a society where we can begin with a premise that the great majority of cops are motivated to do the right thing and, yes, have valor.

I have been around a very long time and personally watched the evolution of the relationship of Pride with the police – it has been hard fought and something to be celebrated. I CRIED the first time i saw military marching with us and the participation of the police was nothing short of revolutionary when it happened. There is always more work to be done but exclusion is anti-human.

I think people are not old enough to appreciate the history of the Pride parades. One of my early Prides was during the Anita Bryant’s anti gay trouble. I watched as churches, teachers, police, firefighters, military, lawyers, nurses, doctors, parents and all conceivable groups marched for equality. I have never been so moved and proud. Pride is a time for support and appreciation for our allies.

Not possible. Not even the smallest of small town prides happens without some kind of sponsorship. Permits are expensive. Advertising and crowd control are expensive. Capital Pride would CEASE TO EXIST, FULL STOP. If you think otherwise, you don’t have a grasp on reality.

For a group that claims to have been working for years, why is their website so new – April of 2017? Sounds pretty fishy to me. Are they fronting for someone else? Does anyone know who they actually are?

No Justice No Pride is being funded and run by an offshoot of the NAACP called The Advancement Project. See The Advancement Project’s Twitter feed from all day Saturday as they posted statements from No Justice No Pride. The spokesman of No Justice No Pride is also employed by the NAACP/The Advancement Project.

facepalm… the group is not funded by the Right AT ALL. Its an arm of the NAACP and they werent protesting that they disagreed with gays or pro-gay laws… they just protested that they wanted more trans gender women on the Board that plans the parade and that police shouldnt be allowed to march in the parade (because of the police’s perceived involvement in police shootings… hence the justice part.)

Although they are protesting the march… they are protesting for changes within the LBGT board… they are NOT AGAINST the LBGT effort in general.

lol right…. thats the point of a protest. Surely there are other ways to get their message across… how many of those would result in an article being written that describes their entire viewpoint? The fact that protests force their message on those attending is exactly why protests are used. What you said could be said of ANY protest.

Unfortunately radical groups on either side of the aisle tend to insist on ideological Purity, and anybody who isn’t 100% aligned with their ideology they will suffer. Extremist conservatives and extremist liberals use the same tactics to get their way.

I can accept and support that there should be trans and people of color representation in the board and in the planning, and that we should work to make sure we are properly including trans and people of color and other minorities within our community. But I absolutely refuse to reject police involvement in our festivities. I understand the issue of police violence and I hate it, I want it to end, but unless a police officer involved in our festivities has abused somebody, they should not be excluded based on their occupation. What they are trying to do is marginalize LGBT police. I will not accept that.

In fact, I believe all of the demands of NJNP are all faux demands to attempt to link themselves to the Pride march… their only REAL contention is the removal of police from marching in the parade because the NAACP has tried to, at some level, demonize the police.

They cant get permits as Black Lives Matter so they have made up a bunch of fake protest groups so that they can continue Black Lives Matter protests without being associated, at least at first glance, with the group.

… the NAACP is funding them. YOu dont seem to get it… they arent doing ANYTHING in relation to gay issues… why would they care abotu gay issues? In essence, they dont… They want to push Black Lives Matter protests at every public event… but they cant get permits as Black Lives Matter for a Pride event (no relation)… so they have to make up some new political movement which has a very small relation to the event so they can get permits and then they just protest as Black Lives Matter always would.

Thank you. I’ve never suggested that the NAACP has ever done anything, or cared, about gay issues. But I’ve observed the NAACP as somewhat moribund for quite some time, hence the comment that, at least the NAACP is doing something. In noting that the NAACP is doing something, I did not say that I favored what the NAACP is doing. Thank you again.

As a 45 year old member of the DC gay community, I’m extremely disappointed by your actions today, blocking the parade route that thousands of activists and LGBT community members of all sexual orientations, races, sexes, gender identity, and socio-economic status that were planning to march in the parade today.

I am a gay veteran, who suffered under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and suffered in silence working first in the corporate sector and later in government. I survived two suicide attempts, addiction, and any number of issues that are a direct consequence of the historical oppression we have suffered as a community. I survived, came out, and became an activist to help end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, to win marriage equality, and to work towards a time now when many churches are welcoming LGBT people into their community.

There was a time when you could not serve as a gay person in the military, attend a church as a gay person, or work in a corporation as an openly gay person. We have fought long and hard, through oppression, an HIV epidemic, and a drug epidemic that have plagued our community to get to a point where companies, government agencies, churches, and even youth groups march with us, lobby for us, and support us.

Your actions today, protesting a few corporations, displayed a completely, inexcusable, disgusting lack of a historical understanding of the LGBT civil rights movement.

I am an avid supporter of freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. But I do not support your actions today – blocking the parade route of your own community. I wish you had been arrested for your actions.

I saw people who waited for hours for a chance to march and protest, passing out because of the heat. I saw a young dance troupe, probably age 7 or 8, toward the back of the parade, who probably never got a chance to perform, even though I’m sure they’ve prepared for and looked forward to today for weeks. I saw people of all different races and gender identities waiting hours for a chance to march, as the spectators filed away, due to the extensive delays. All I could feel was sadness and disgust when I saw all of their faces, after learning of your actions and the justification for them today.

I would strongly encourage you to learn your community’s history of struggle and work with them not against them for the change you seek. I could tell by the news reports, listening to your comments and seeing your faces in video, that you are young and ignorant of the history. It’s really disappointing.

There is a lot of anti-muslim hatred in this country right now and I see no reason why we can’t be accepting and affirming of Muslims from the LGBT community, so I think your comment is hinting at a little bit of nastiness that has no place here.

The Muslims surpassed Christians already. And that’s what’s infuriating some gay activists. They wanted Christians to remain the biggest homophobic menace. So they hide from stuff like this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vev-OzHQy94

Maybe not in the past. But they sure do now. Or…WILL do now if it’s not nipped in the bud. When such a miniscule part of the U.S. population has already attempted the mass murder of gays four times (with only the Pulse massacre being successful)…I’d say it’s not a good idea to increase the Muslim population in the U.S., unlike what so many self-hating gays seem to espouse. And aside from that, let’s hear of one Muslim-majority country or territory that doesn’t have severe punishments (some even capital punishment) for homosexual acts. Unlike Christian or Jewish majority countries.

And again…. that is NOTHING compared to what christians have done to gays…. Clearly you have no idea what you are talking about. Should prob stop talking,.

Btw… in the UK it was a capital offense to be gay from 1563 to 1861. In the US it was a capital offense to be gay up until 1873. Nearly half of US history has had being gay as an offense punishable by death. (Note it remained a felony, not punishable by death, but by a min 1 year in prison up until 2003… And even then the laws were only changed by the Supreme Court invalidating them (lawrence v texas)… so of the 240 years of the US, 227 of those years gays were CRIMINALLY PUNISHED.)

“let’s hear of one Muslim-majority country or territory that doesn’t have severe punishments (some even capital punishment) for homosexual acts.” Quite simple… there are only 9 countries that currently have the death penalty for homosexuality. Note PEW has estimated there are over 50 countries in the world that are considered muslim countries…. You said name one…. in fact over 80% of muslim countries dont have that policy….

Do you EVER fact check yourself? You should…. it makes you look like you dont know what youre talking about. ahem, it SHOWS that you dont know what youre talking about.

But the Muslim countries that don’t have capital punishment for homosexual acts have public flogging and imprisonment. Sorry…but less and less people are going to be pretending along with you as Muslim homophobia becomes more and more open. And at this point you’re really just a collaborator with Islam and should be brought before the pulse victims’ familes or the parents of the Manchester victims to decide what should be done with you. (And Damien is a tired and pretentious name).

Banning Muslims from our country and building walls WON’T STOP ISIS terrorism. It just won’t. in fact, it will help them recruit! They recruit using videos of American politicians demonizing Muslims! Your own racist hatred is what helps them recruit. Congratulations, you’re sponsoring terrorism!

And how am I “racist” ? I hate Muslims, and that’s not a race. I hate the white ones in Chechnya who are putting gay men in concentration camps and Asian ones in Indonesia who are publicly flogging gay men. Black ones and Middle Eastern ones are no better.

Tell that to Timothy McVey who executed 189 men, women, and CHILDREN that he didn’t like, because of their parents’ occupation. Or the movie theater shooter, or the Newton and Virginia Tech shooters. The Fort Hood shooter…. the list goes on!

All you’re doing is listing mass murders that have nothing to do with anti-gay sentiments. IF you want me to list the non-gay-specific Muslim massacres in the U.S. I’ll be glad to go there too. Because those victims outnumber all of these too (AND from a much smaller group in the U.S.).

Ummm… I think the consensus is that there was a very loose, if any, connection with ISIS. The shooting was clearly related to Islam, namely this particular believer’s hatred of the gay community which was fueled. The shooter spoke of islamic leaders, and islamic politics… namely the bombing of his country by the US.

Not sure anyone with a brain cell in their brain can suggest the killings had NO CONNECTION to islam.

I think its politically incorrect to suggest that it was solely BECAUSE he was muslim or to suggest that somehow all muslims think and act like him…. Im not sure how it could be politically incorrect to suggest that islam, though not entirely driving what occurred, the attack and its motives is to some not insignificant extent related to islam.

I disagree with their tactics but come on are you really going to resort to body shaming people? That does not legitimize your point of you at all. That’s not right. That’s exactly the kind of nastiness we don’t need.

I observed a hefty amount of people of color and Latinos who were equally upset about this group, so I don’t find it particularly helpful that you’re trying to paint anyone who objects to their methods and tactics as a white racist.

What a bunch of lazy idiots. If you want change, attend some of the open pride meetings throughout the year. Capital Pride puts a ton of work into this event. While you’re siting at home doing nothing. The world is a scary place right now. Thanks to the police, FBI and other agencies that kept us safe.

They did go to the open meetings, and the cis, (mostly) white, well-to-do gays and lesbians didn’t want to have anything to do with inclusion for marginalized groups. They didn’t seem to see anything wrong with the participation of imperialist entities like the CIA and offense contractors, banks that fund private prisons and killer pipelines, and the police that maintain this whole damn system. They also seen to forget that Pride commemorates Stonewall, which was a riot vs. the police!
Thus, it was time for Plan B.
I’m closely allied to the folks composing NJNP, and they are the furthest thing from lazy.

Identitarian politics is the new racism…..what started out as a demand for sexual freedom and equality, is now some sort of political football. I am against bashing cops, because we all know, when you’re in trouble, who ya gonna call? Thats right, a cop….Support our local police, its a tough job

This SMALL group, believes they OWN Pride Celebrations. They believe they’re somehow more “Prideful” then the rest of us, and therefore THIER DEMANDS should be met. They have ZERO interest in compromising or working with others. Sad really, because they have SOME valid concerns.

Actually they didn’t. New York gay activist groups held their own pride parade, known as the Christopher Street Liberation Day, to recall the events of Stonewall one year earlier. On November 2, 1969, Craig Rodwell, his partner Fred Sargeant, Ellen Broidy, and Linda Rhodes proposed the first gay pride parade to be held in New York City by way of a resolution at the Eastern Regional Conference of Homophile Organizations (ERCHO) meeting in Philadelphia – Also there were hundreds of people involved in the Stonewall Riots of all colors and genderd and there were even straight people involved.

Doing something? All I saw them doing was selfishly shutting down all speech but their own while demonizing the police, Lockheed Martin, and Wells Fargo employees at pride.

Their sanctimony is unwarranted and unwelcome. They don’t speak out. They shut down speech with which they disagree. A bunch of kids who think protest is its own end, backed by greedy, selfish people pocketing donations. Not useful. Not effective. Not welcome. Not Pride.

I didn’t think they were fat. I thought they were unwelcome, as did my boyfriend. We intentionally turned our backs to them as they prevented gay people from celebrating pride because they’ve appointed themselves the purity police. I will never, ever give them money, time, or the attention they so crave. They made an enemy this weekend, and I’m not the only one.

I was at the parade yesterday….and missed it. I waited with my disabled spouse, and my very elderly mother…we waited and waited and waited. Eventually, we went home. I have been around a very long time and personally watched the evolution of the relationship of Pride with the police – it has been hard fought and something to be celebrated. I CRIED the first time i saw military marching with us and the participation of the police was nothing short of revolutionary when it happened. There is always more work to be done but exclusion is anti-human.

Another bunch of opportunists trying to make names for themselves by attacking their own. The HRC is full of them. Follow the money. The right wing coverage: “The queers can’t even get along at their own parade, the Left is in a meltdown”. THE DEBATE OF CORPORAtiZATION OF PRIDE IS NOTHING NEW.

NJNP dont care about the corporate sponsors of Pride… they have ONE concern, all the other demands are faux demands. They want to protest police involvement with ANY group because of their perceptions of the police as violent towards african americans.

Black Lives Matter cant get permits to protest at events that have nothing to do with the police… so the NAACP has orchestrated lots of faux protest groups who push lame agenda items only to associate themselves somehow with the event to get a permit… Then they protest what they always protested… the police.

NJNP’s presence at Pride yesterday profoundly influenced me. First, NJNP’s behavior substantiated the necessity of (and basically guaranteed indefinitely, into the future) the involvement, at Pride events, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Second, despite NJNP’s overt lawbreaking disobedience, instigation and agitation, MPD reacted (as usual) with admirable professionalism and restraint. NJNP created a difficult environment Saturday that demonstrated and highlighted that the alleged police brutality about which NJNP protests was, as usual, nowhere to be found. Third, in the weeks leading up to Pride, I and others read with some ambivalence about NJNP’s indiscriminate criticisms of law enforcement and corporations. Now, having witnessed, first hand, their disruptive public tantrum at Capital Pride, NJNP brought me and numerous other Dupont/Logan residents to a clear realization: Capital Pride and MPD are very welcome in our neighborhood, whereas NJNP and its agenda are not.

They want to be victims. The fact is: if they want a different kind of Pride parade, then they should just go out and do it instead of interfering with the current one. They want to position themselves as powerless at the hands of the parade organizers. But why aren’t they joining the organization and working for change instead of whining and complaining?

So instead of sharing concerns, “allies” decide to hijack a celebration that many use to commemorate those they lost to HIV/AIDS and gay-bashing? Um. No. No more. No. Say it first before you get your panties in a wad. A lot of people died to make Pride proud–respect that fact or get bent.

I was blocked on social media by GetEQUAL for disagreeing publicly with their protest action at DC Pride this year. They blocked me for criticizing their criticism of Pride, and then had shill accounts respond to my comment knowing I would be unable to respond. Take from that what you will.

If you think that’s inexcusable behavior from an organization looking for allies, or one which pretends to work for the benefit of LGBT people, block them yourselves, unsubscribe from their emails, refuse to donate to their fundraising campaigns – and send them a nice email telling them exactly why.

Unhappy, self identified victim spewing their own brand of hatred. Another reason to avoid the “Pride Celebrations” I’m not proud, but not ashamed either. I really do feel as if I have nothing in common with these people.

Since gay marriage was legalized by SCOTUS, gay men have moved to the right on every kind social issue: race, immigration, economics, terrorism, foreign policy, but you should know that the Democratic party will never win election if African Americans and Latinos start staying at home alienated by the arrogance and the not so veiled racism of the social liberal and affluent white liberals. Why Do you all live in Cities that are liberal thanks to the votes of PoC who elect liberal politicians? When you are going to move back to such progressive paradises like The Dakotas, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Dixie? If the problems of the PoC are a nuisance to you, just get out of the D.C (a black majority city) and return to middle America, your natural place, where the brown plebs will never ruin and crash your parties.